The thought of run commuting can be a daunting one. When I first started, I was convinced that I had to run in both directions, to and from work, carrying everything I needed for the day. It was intense, and often felt like I was running uphill both directions. But then someone told me that they only ran to or from work, and that made run commuting far more approachable. It was a new outlook for me.
But the type of gear that works for my run commute, might not work for yours. To get a sense of how real people — with real jobs — commute to work, we surveyed some. Below, they each share their top pieces of gear, what their commutes are like on foot and what their philosophy is when it comes to run commuting.
Nicholas Thompson, Editor in Chief at Wired
The Editor in Chief of Wired, Nick Thompson, used to run almost eight and a half miles to get to work. He still runs to work, albeit to the luminous World Trade Center instead of Times Square. To make it work, he leaves suits in the office, then showers at the New York Sports Club around the corner. He’s currently running in the Asics Gel Kayanos. “They’re good on city streets and limit plantar fasciitis,” Thompson says. He’s also testing the ON Cloud X. A fanny pack is “best for carrying my keys and cell phone,” says Thompson, and AirPods “do a good job of not falling out when cutting through traffic,” he adds. And as for tees, Thompson says he likes to “wear reflective colors, particularly in the winter.”
Gel Kayanos by Asics $120
Cloud X by On Running $140
AirPods by Apple$159
Ionic Smartwatch by Fitbit $279
